The Fire Lord Stole My Ostrich Horse
by Lala2003
Summary: Zuko returns to Song's little farming village to make amends. With a few misunderstandings along the way, his apology doesn't quite go to plan...


She really should stop inviting random strangers home for dinner, thought Song as she scrubbed the dishes clean after a hearty meal of roast duck. She had hoped that she and her mother would've learnt their lesson last time after their dinner guests made off with their only ostrich horse, but she was trusting by nature and in a way, she was glad that the incident didn't change that fact.

Besides, who could turn away a young mother who was expecting and her kind husband who had been working the fields out in the sweltering heat just to cover the expenses of a new-born? The food would only go to waste and, while the young couple couldn't pay, they compensated with riveting conversation and juicy gossip.

"Did you hear that the Fire Lord is in Ba Sing Se for a peace summit next week?" asked the woman - Yanyu.

"I hadn't," said her mother. "But I do have high hopes for the young Fire Lord. He allied himself with the Avatar - even taught him firebending -which is a ringing endorsement if ever I heard one," she smiled, pouring sweet tea into cups for each of her guests, steam billowing out of the spout.

"I heard he was very handsome," Song added as she put the last of the china away in the cupboard.

The Fire Nation Royals were all supposedly very beautiful people, with their golden eyes and striking, dark hair. Song hoped his appearance was all that Fire Lord Zuko inherited from his father.

Yanyu nodded. "Yes, it's a shame about his scar," she added pityingly, sipping her tea.

Song had heard the story behind the scar; how his own father had inflicted it upon him after he spoke out of turn in the war room. At the time, she hadn't cared. She had never given much thought to the suffering of the people in the Fire Nation, they were the enemy, exempt from the pain caused by the war and undeserving of her sympathy. But things were different now, people of all Nations were united as one world thanks to the Avatar.

"Say what you will, but I don't think scars detract from a truly handsome face," Song's mother replied, cutting through her thoughts. "What was that young lad's name who came by the hospital with his uncle…? Ling, was it?"

Song chewed her bottom lip. "Lee," she corrected, tonelessly, starring out the kitchen window.

"Oh, that's right," she hummed. "His scar covered quite a large portion of his face, but he was still very attractive, wasn't he, Song?" she placed her hand on her chin and gave her daughter a knowing look.

Song slammed the cupboard door loudly, startling her mother with her abruptness. "I'd rather not talk about him, please," she requested tersely.

Thankfully, her mother took the hint and dropped the subject. After what Lee did, Song had been crushed. She thought that they shared a moment. She opened up to him, but in the end, he wasn't who she thought he was.

Song didn't know the half of it.

-0-

It was almost the end of Song's shift at the village hospital and her feet were aching from standing up all day, but she didn't mind. Her work was rewarding and she loved to help people… so long as they didn't take advantage of her kindness.

Rinsing off the soothing cream from her fingers, she told her patient about the best treatment for the pain in his lower back. Her advice was the usual: rest and avoid lifting heavy objects, apply these creams twice daily and so on.

Just as she started to pack away her kit, a small boy burst into the clinic clearly excited about something and eager to spread the news.

"Come quickly! You won't believe this," he started, breathing heavily, but speaking rapidly nonetheless. "But the FIRE LORD is in OUR village!" he finished, still shocked himself.

"Oh, come off it," said her patient. "Who do you think you're fooling anyway, kid?" he asked rhetorically with a roll of his eyes.

"See for yourself," the boy challenged. "He's heading right this way. I heard he was looking for a girl - apparently he needs to 'make amends', whatever that means."

"If Fire Lord Zuko really is in this village, I'll… I'll…" The old man wracked his brain trying to think of something equally ridiculous. "Eat my hat," he decided.

As if on cue, a rumble of hoofs could be heard in the distance - but it sounded different, deeper and more thunderous, like a herd of komodo-rhinos rather than a stampede of ostrich horses. Outside, Song could hear muffled voices as the riders dismounted and a few startled exclamations from nearby villagers. Then, the hospital doors slid open to reveal a figure haloed in the evening sun.

This man exuded power. He wasn't heavy-set or of a bulky build, he could only have been just out of his teens - no older than Song - but he had an air of formality about himself that demanded respect, despite making no obvious attempt to intimidate. He wore fine red robes with golden details around the hem. A gold Fire Nation emblem was proudly stamped across his heart - which seemed fitting as this man had been the one to restore a sense of honour to his nation.

"Do you want salt with that hat?" asked the boy smugly.

The elderly man did not reply, preoccupied with picking his jaw up off the floor.

Fire Lord Zuko walked into the room with a sense of purpose and it was then that Song realised he was heading straight towards her. As he drew closer, she met his eyes and for a second, his expression faltered. Was he sweating? Zuko held her gaze until he was only a few feet away, then his eyes fell to the floor as if in shame.

Now she was really confused.

The Fire Lord's actions had made this visit seem personal for some reason. But what he did next was what really surprised her. Slowly and regally, he bent his knees and lowered himself to the floor. With his hands folded across his lap, he swept himself into a deep bow at her feet.

"My Lord," said one of Zuko's body guards who had entered alongside him, stepping forward in surprise. "What are you doing bowing before this Earth Kingdom peasant?" he asked, bewildered.

"What I should have done a long time ago," he informed the soldier. That voice… Song could have sworn she had heard it somewhere before, but that was impossible.

The soldier turned an indignant shade of purple, looking as if he'd readily pull Zuko to his feet himself if he refused to stand. Zuko did not get up. Instead, he addressed Song, his voice was full of remorse, textured and familiar.

"I'm sorry. You invited me into your home, you fed Uncle and I - even gave us your left-overs. I never should have abused that trust. Please forgive me."

He sounded so sad; it was a shame Song had no idea what he was talking about. She didn't know if she should return his bow, curtsy maybe? Unsure, she just stood there awkwardly, waiting for someone to tell her how to react. When she didn't respond, Zuko lifted his head, worry streaking his face.

"I understand…" he said, as if resigned to the fact that whatever he had done had been unforgivable. "At least accept this. Follow me," he said stiffly, standing to his full height - at least a head taller than Song.

She nodded numbly and allowed the Fire Lord to lead her out front where he directed her attention to a sprawling blossom tree. Tethered to one of the lower branches was the finest ostrich horse Song had ever seen, preening its dark feathers and trilling softly. Zuko untied the feathered steed and gently led him towards the young woman, holding out the reigns for her to take.

"You're giving me an ostrich horse?" she managed to ask, making no move to accept the gift - he must have the wrong girl, there was no other explanation.

"I hope you weren't too attached to the one you had before… I lost her… in the desert," he admitted, then hastily corrected himself. "She ran away."

Suddenly, everything made perfect sense.

"Lee?" Song asked, half expecting Zuko to look at her questioningly, but he nodded in silent affirmation.

She could see it now, under the silks and formalities, hidden behind a veil of regality was someone naïve and tender; a boy who cared deeply for his Uncle and would do anything to protect the ones he loved with that same youthful determination etched into his eyes - just how she remembered him.

Song was at a loss for words, so she filled the silence with peals of melodical laughter. Doubled over in stitches, she leant against the tree for balance as happy giggles shook her body.

"What's so funny?" Zuko asked, watching her in complete confusion. This hadn't been anything like what he'd expected; he thought she rejected his apology.

Song wiped a tear of mirth from her cheek. "The Fire Lord *pfft* stole my ostrich horse," she said, successfully suppressing her laughter for a few meagre moments, but saying it aloud brought on a new wave and she all but collapsed to the ground.

The same guard that had protested Zuko's earlier actions set out to silence Song's raucous giggling. "Sire, this girl has demonstrated a complete lack of respect. What is your punishment?" He awaited his next orders, ready to serve the young firebender.

Belatedly, it occurred to Song that perhaps laughing at the Fire Lord's expense was not the wisest decision, but her regret dissipated as soon as she caught the look in Zuko's beautiful golden eyes. Relief.

"That's what you take from this?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. But crossing his arms across his abdomen, he surrendered to Song's contagious laughter; a great weight finally lifted from his heart.

**A/N: I know this has been done before, but I couldn't help myself - it's just too cute! I hope you enjoyed reading this mini story and if you did, please leave a review XD**


End file.
